Branch Russell
Right Fielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records
Branch Russell was a right fielder who played in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Monarchs, the St. Louis Stars, and the Cleveland Stars. In 767 career games, he hit .309 with 889 hits, 57 home runs, and 484 RBI. His totals include Negro Leagues seasons, which MLB recognized as major league in 2020. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 8,899.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Right Fielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'10" / 165 lb
- Died
- 5/1/1959 in St. Louis, MO, USA
Full name: Branch Lee Russell
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 767 | 2,881 | 635 | 889 | 136 | 76 | 57 | 484 | 80 | 370 | 5 | .309 | .393 | .468 | .861 | 8,899 |
Career AVG .309 vs. league average .284 across their career seasons — +8.8% above league average.
Career OBP .393 vs. league average .346 across their career seasons — +13.7% above league average.
Career SLG .468 vs. league average .399 across their career seasons — +17.3% above league average.
Career OPS .861 vs. league average .744 across their career seasons — +15.6% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | KCM | NNL | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1922 | SLS | NNL | 46 | 179 | 42 | 54 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 30 | 7 | 16 | 1 | .302 | .285 (+6%) | .345 (+5%) | .397 (+10%) | .743 (+7%) | 0.0 |
| 1923 | SLS | NNL | 81 | 315 | 64 | 89 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 45 | 7 | 25 | 0 | .283 | .282 (avg) | .344 (avg) | .390 (+7%) | .734 (+4%) | 176.5 |
| 1924 | SLS | NNL | 69 | 272 | 56 | 83 | 20 | 4 | 7 | 44 | 12 | 27 | 1 | .305 | .283 (+7%) | .345 (+9%) | .389 (+25%) | .734 (+17%) | 846.8 |
| 1925 | SLS | NNL | 81 | 278 | 62 | 85 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 63 | 8 | 51 | 0 | .306 | .288 (+6%) | .349 (+18%) | .407 (+27%) | .756 (+23%) | 1311.9 |
| 1926 | SLS | NNL | 86 | 298 | 73 | 91 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 59 | 10 | 53 | 0 | .305 | .279 (+9%) | .345 (+22%) | .390 (+32%) | .735 (+27%) | 1647.9 |
| 1927 | SLS | NNL | 96 | 390 | 78 | 125 | 17 | 10 | 10 | 53 | 10 | 40 | 0 | .321 | .282 (+14%) | .344 (+13%) | .392 (+25%) | .736 (+19%) | 1450.4 |
| 1928 | SLS | NNL | 78 | 308 | 62 | 92 | 14 | 12 | 3 | 43 | 4 | 30 | 2 | .299 | .280 (+6%) | .342 (+7%) | .395 (+14%) | .737 (+11%) | 586.0 |
| 1929 | SLS | NNL | 91 | 324 | 84 | 102 | 17 | 10 | 2 | 47 | 6 | 58 | 0 | .315 | .289 (+9%) | .353 (+21%) | .415 (+8%) | .769 (+14%) | 1084.0 |
| 1930 | SLS | NNL | 90 | 352 | 91 | 117 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 71 | 9 | 42 | 1 | .332 | .293 (+13%) | .354 (+15%) | .429 (+10%) | .784 (+12%) | 1007.2 |
| 1931 | SLS | NNL | 31 | 109 | 16 | 34 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 5 | 17 | 0 | .312 | .276 (+13%) | .338 (+21%) | .388 (+2%) | .726 (+11%) | 274.9 |
| 1932 | CLS | EWL | 16 | 51 | 6 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 0 | .333 | .275 (+21%) | .335 (+35%) | .391 (+25%) | .726 (+30%) | 289.7 |
| Career · 12 seasons | 767 | 2,881 | 635 | 889 | 136 | 76 | 57 | 484 | 80 | 370 | 5 | .309 | — | — | — | — | 8,675 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Away | 5 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
Last 5 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929-06-09 | SSN | CAG | W | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1928-07-29 | SSN | DT1 | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1925-08-11 | SSN | KCM | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1924-04-27 | SSN | KCM | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922-06-27 | SSN | DT1 | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 76 | 50 | 87 | 173 | 19 | 16 |
| 3B | 76 | 65 | 64 | 146 | 15 | 10 |
| OF | 588 | 505 | 724 | 61 | 38 | 14 |
| SS | 59 | 55 | 137 | 193 | 30 | 33 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | KCM | OF | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922 | SLS | 2B | 12 | 12 | 20 | 47 | 4 | 2 |
| 1922 | SLS | 3B | 24 | 24 | 25 | 66 | 3 | 6 |
| 1922 | SLS | OF | 10 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1923 | SLS | 2B | 6 | 6 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 2 |
| 1923 | SLS | 3B | 25 | 23 | 23 | 47 | 4 | 3 |
| 1923 | SLS | OF | 34 | 33 | 47 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 1923 | SLS | SS | 22 | 19 | 47 | 68 | 12 | 11 |
| 1924 | SLS | 2B | 12 | 8 | 17 | 26 | 5 | 0 |
| 1924 | SLS | 3B | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 1924 | SLS | OF | 42 | 40 | 59 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1924 | SLS | SS | 18 | 18 | 42 | 61 | 10 | 8 |
| 1925 | SLS | 2B | 20 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1925 | SLS | 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1925 | SLS | OF | 70 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926 | SLS | 2B | 8 | 6 | 9 | 25 | 3 | 3 |
| 1926 | SLS | OF | 68 | 66 | 95 | 11 | 8 | 4 |
| 1926 | SLS | SS | 11 | 10 | 31 | 36 | 5 | 6 |
| 1927 | SLS | 2B | 6 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 2 | 2 |
| 1927 | SLS | 3B | 9 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 4 | 0 |
| 1927 | SLS | OF | 82 | 77 | 123 | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| 1927 | SLS | SS | 3 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 2 | 3 |
| 1928 | SLS | 3B | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1928 | SLS | OF | 76 | 75 | 91 | 7 | 9 | 1 |
| 1928 | SLS | SS | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 1929 | SLS | 2B | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 2 |
| 1929 | SLS | 3B | 8 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 1 |
| 1929 | SLS | OF | 83 | 81 | 128 | 11 | 10 | 3 |
| 1930 | SLS | OF | 86 | 86 | 112 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| 1930 | SLS | SS | 4 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 2 |
| 1931 | SLS | 2B | 8 | 8 | 13 | 18 | 3 | 2 |
| 1931 | SLS | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1931 | SLS | OF | 23 | 22 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1932 | CLS | 2B | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 3 |
| 1932 | CLS | OF | 13 | 13 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 76 |
| Third Base | 76 |
| Shortstop | 59 |
| Left Field | 33 |
| Center Field | 5 |
| Right Field | 550 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Branch Russell: the record in brief
The season rows for Branch Russell begin in 1922. Club by club, the record runs the Kansas City Monarchs (1922), the St. Louis Stars (1922 to 1931), and the Cleveland Stars (1932). Russell, a right fielder by primary position, batted left-handed and threw right-handed. The recorded size is 5 feet, 10 inches and 165 pounds. The birth record reads October 9, 1895, in South Boston, VA, USA. Russell died on May 1, 1959, in St. Louis, MO, USA. The bio lists the given name Branch Lee.
The batting record for Russell: 767 games, 889 hits in 2,881 at bats, and a .309 average, along with 57 home runs, 484 runs batted in, and 80 stolen bases. Russell got on base at a .393 rate and slugged .468 (.861 OPS). Set against a .284 league average for the same years, Russell's .309 average sits 8.8% above it. In OPS terms, Russell's .861 stands 15.6% above the league's .744. No season beat the 10 home runs Russell hit in 1927.
Frequently Asked Questions about Branch Russell
- Was Branch Russell a pitcher?
- No. Branch Russell was a position player (Right Fielder).
- How many home runs did Branch Russell hit?
- Branch Russell hit 57 career home runs with 889 hits.
- What teams did Branch Russell play for?
- Branch Russell played for 3 teams: the Kansas City Monarchs (1922), the St. Louis Stars (1922–1931), and the Cleveland Stars (1932).
- What were Branch Russell's career stats?
- In 767 games, Branch Russell had 889 hits, 57 home runs, 484 RBI, 635 runs, and 80 stolen bases, with a .309 batting average.
- What position did Branch Russell play?
- Branch Russell played primarily as a right fielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Branch Russell and how much did he weigh?
- Branch Russell was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 165 pounds.
- How many home runs did Branch Russell hit each season?
- Branch Russell's home runs by season: 3 in 1922, 5 in 1923, 7 in 1924, 8 in 1925, 8 in 1926, 10 in 1927, 3 in 1928, 2 in 1929, 10 in 1930, 1 in 1931, and 0 in 1932. His most in one season was 10, in 1927 and 1930.
- What was Branch Russell's career batting average?
- Branch Russell batted .309 over his career, with 889 hits in 2,881 at bats.
- How many RBI did Branch Russell have?
- Branch Russell drove in 484 runs in his career.
- Is Branch Russell in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Branch Russell has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.